_quid pro quo_. This, of course, soon put an end to the
payments, and things were on the old starvation footing again.

After dinner, every body who had horses rode or drove. The roads about
Oldport were heavy and sandy, and terrible work the dust made with the
ladies' fine dresses and the gentlemen's fine coats.

"Rather different from the drives about Baden-Baden," said Benson.

"Yes; but I suppose we must console ourselves on moral grounds, and
remember, that there we owe the beautiful promenades to the
gambling-table, while here we are without the roads, and also without
the play."

"Ah, but isn't there play here! only all _sub rosa_. Wait a while, and
you'll find out."

And Ashburner did find out before many nights, when the footsteps and
oaths of the young gamblers returning at four in the morning to their
rooms in the "Colony," woke him out of his first sleep. After the drive,
tea--still at the _table-d'hote_--and after tea, dressing for the ball,
which this night was at the Bellevue House, appropriately so called from
commanding a fine view of nothing. As the Bellevue was not a fashionable
hotel (although the guests were sufficiently fed there), some of the
exclusive ladies had hesitated about "assisting" on the occasion; but
the temptation of a dance was too strong to be resisted, and they all
ultimately went. Le Roi accompanied the Bensons in the all-accommodating
Rockaway. The Bellevue had a "colony," too, in the second story of which
was the ballroom. As they ascended the stairs, the lively notes of _La
Polka Sempiternelle, composee par Josef Bungel, et dediee a M. T.
Edwards_, reached their ears; and hardly were they over the threshold
when Edwards himself hopped up before them, and without other preface or
salutation than a familiar nod, threw his arm round Mrs. Benson's waist,
and swung her off in the dance; while Sumner, who had simultaneously
presented himself to Miss Vanderlyn, took similar possession of her.

"Do you dance?"

"No, I thank you."

While Benson asked the question, Le Roi dived at a girl and whirled her
away: almost before Ashburner had answered it, his friend shot away from
him, making point at a young married lady in the distance; and his bow
of recognition ended in the back-step of the polka, as the two went off
together at a killing pace. In five seconds from the time of entrance,
Ashburner was left standing alone at one end of the room, and his
companions were twirling at t